


Skipping Stones

by vinca531



Category: Smallville
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, First Time, M/M, Multiple Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-05-20
Updated: 2002-05-20
Packaged: 2017-11-01 08:23:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/354349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vinca531/pseuds/vinca531
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clark finds out what it would be like if he wasn't with Lex.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Skipping Stones

**Author's Note:**

> ' ' denotes thoughts.

~ Home ~ 

Clark punched Lex, barely checking his fist before turning his back and walking away. He heard a soft, hurt (physical, but also emotional hurt) voice call out after him. 

"You're just like the rest of them Clark. Just like the rest." 

Clark ignored him and kept walking until he was out the house and a ways from it before speeding off. He stopped by a deserted field and collapsed down on the grass. Lex's words suddenly came to him, and he tried to push back the guilt that came with them. 'No Lex is the one who lied to me. The only reason I'm like everyone else now is because I know what a fucking, lying bastard he is.' 

His hypocritical thoughts did little to relieve his pain. Before Lex spilled his guts he'd revealed his love for Clark. "Why do you love me Lex?" 

"Because you're the only real person I know. The only one who takes my faults and forgives them, puts them behind and moves on. You're the only one who cared enough to know the man behind the name. You're the only one I've loved since my mother, and I think you'll be the only one forever." 

Clark had been able to see the sincerity and vulnerability in his eyes even as he told Clark what caused him to lose control lash out, and turn his back. Then they had turned ice, empty, shutting down whatever emotion that had been present. 

'Why couldn't Lex leave well enough alone? I had no choice but to break our friendship... No matter that I have to lie too, I have an excuse, to protect my family and myself.' He tried to ignore the queasy, vast blackness creeping up within him, that he lost more than 'just' a friend, more like a soulmate. But he wanted to be as normal as possible and that meant ignoring Lex's looks and obsessing over Lana, not reciprocating words of undying love. Though the thing that scared him was that he felt the connection between them and that maybe, just maybe he could have something with him... 

'If this wasn't the right thing to do, I would know...Besides Dad will be happy to hear that a Luthor is out of my life.' 

Clark got up and wandered around the field to take his mind off of the ache in his chest and felt a slight weakening. He looked up and saw a warehouse in the distance. 'Isn't that where Lex had Dr. Hamilton staying?' He found out about Lex's involvement in the Nicodemus flower incident when Lex had broken down and told him that afternoon, along with several other confessions. 

As he walked closer he noticed a strange feeling in his belly and looked down to see purple glittery shards on the ground the closer he got to the warehouse. He backed up from the building when the strange feeling turned into outright nausea. 'Is it meteor rocks? They're not green though.' He backed up and then turned, kicking his speed into high gear towards the Luthor manor while getting ready to drill Lex on the shards. 

As he blurred everything around him fuzzed out and went completely black. In panic at the lack of light, Clark stopped abruptly and the light returned at once. He looked around and saw himself close to the manor. 

'That was weird. Looks like Lex will have to clean up the crap his lackey did on the environment.' With that he walked right up and into the castle by his usual route. 

~ First Skip ~ 

He walked into the foyer and up the steps to the library where he'd left Lex when they had their talk. He walked into the room and saw Lex bending over to break at the pool table and watched as he straightened and turned, only to jump slightly when he saw Clark. 

"Clark! You scared me, and you know how many times I tell you not to sneak up on me. What happened in Hawaii? Did you get the tourists out? Are you okay honey, you look a little confused." While Clark stood there rooted in the spot at Lex's reaction to him, Lex had started chatting away, moving to stand before him and place his arms around his shoulders. 

"You seem tense. Want me to make it all better?" Lex's voice had dropped several octaves, and Clark couldn't help to respond to the harsh rub of Lex's thigh suddenly between his legs. Before he could open his mouth to protest (or that's what he told himself he would do) Lex kissed him. 

The kiss was sweet and Clark felt deep emotion well up at the love and tenderness expressed with simple contact of lips on lips. Then Lex deepened it running his hands up and through Clark's hair, rocking his hips forward against his body. 

Clark heard moaning and realized it was himself. He groaned and tried to pull away from the body before him, and sighed in loss when his request was granted. Only to gasp when Lex undid his slacks and let them drop to the floor with his boxer briefs. His shirt followed quickly after and Clark couldn't keep his mouth from dropping open, staring openly. He blushed at the deep chuckle from Lex and found his arms full of soft, creamy, hairless skin stretched over taunt muscle. 

"You act like you haven't seen it all before babe. Why don't we take this to the couch and you can fuck me till neither of us can move." Clark groaned and buried his face into the shoulder in front of him and rocked helplessly against the sexy creature on display, his for the taking. 

" _Lex._ " Clark felt himself guided to the couch and shoved down before Lex crawled onto his lap. He leaned forward and kissed Clark again, tongue shoving into his mouth hips grinding down against Clark's body. Lex left his luscious lips to suck, and then bite his earlobe, hand finding its way into Clark's pants to free his cock. He pumped in time to the thrust of his tongue into the nearest ear, making Clark arch and keen in the back of his throat. 

Clark jerked and cried out when he felt Lex leave him. Lex was back with a kiss a second later, and nuzzled against his cheek. Clark whimpered and arched again when he felt a slick hand coating his cock. He panted and moved upwards the tip of his cock brushing the inside of Lex's leg each time he pushed up. 

Even engulfed in a pleasured haze, Clark noticed Lex had a hand behind himself doing something while he pumped Clark. Clark slid his hand between his legs and almost came when he realized Lex was shoving his own fingers deep into his ass. Lex grinned at him and stopped stretching himself long enough to put some lube on Clark's fingers and then against his ass. 

"Come on love. I know you need this. Take what you need." 

Lex's words emboldened him to reach behind Lex and push a finger against the slippery entrance. When Lex arched and hissed he very gently pushed his finger in, working it back and forth deeper until he hit something that almost made Lex buck off of his lap. 

"Clark! Don't play around! Fuck me already." 

Clark trembled at the new unexplored territory, and hesitated with his finger still within Lex. Lex growled with impatience and yanked away from Clark's hand while positioning himself over Clark's cock. He plunged down on the tip and cried out as he sank slowly down the length, clenching around each inch as it disappeared into his body. 

Clark's head tossed back at the amazing feel of tight heat as he cried out harshly. Lex's cry and mews impassioned him even more and he couldn't stop his hips bucking up, which drove him all the way into Lex. 

Lex gasped and each cord in his neck came out in stark relief as his back arched and his head flew back, a strangled groan coming from his throat. " _Clark_." 

Clark knew nothing but blind instinct at that point and held Lex's hips as his pistoned into the canal above him. Lex began writhing in his grip, clenching crazily. Clark yanked Lex's head towards his own and growled into his neck. He pulled him down one last time before kissing Lex, pushing his tongue deep inside his mouth and coming in thick jets. 

He felt Lex shudder all over and come onto his belly with a scream, falling into his arms. 

"Lex!" 

They both looked up when the door crashed open and a figure ran in calling Lex's name. The figure stopped abruptly and stared in shock at the sight before him as Clark gapped and Lex's eyes widened. 

"What the hell?!" 

Lex pulled off of a softening Clark as fast as he could and grabbed his clothes. The two men on either side of him stared in shock at each other. 'Clark and Clark. This has to be some kind of dream,' Lex thought as he finished buttoning his pants and saw Clark #2 do the same. 

"Okay there has to be a logical explanation." 

"I've got one. You got plastic surgery to look like me to move in on my husband! You're dead freak!" 

Lex grabbed his husband's arm trying to hold him back, but only managed to be dragged across the room. "Clark, stop!" 

"Why? Are you cheating on me Lex?" His Clark had stopped and turned towards him quickly with a deadly look in his eyes. 

"No! You know I wouldn't love. But you should calm down. I don't think your reasoning well right now, and look at him. He's just as confused as we are...In fact now that I think about it, I think he was confused when he first got here. Weren't you?" 

The stunned Clark on the couch nodded haltingly as if he was unable to move properly. Lex gently let go of his mate and walked up to the man who had just taken him. "I think we need to hear how you got here, and without lies. I don't think I'll be able to hold him back, and if you are like him, my house would be demolished so please don't lie. Oh and I suppose showers are in order." 

Two hours later they all sat around staring at each other. Lex was sitting next to his husband rubbing his thigh softly mumbling to himself. Clark #1 glared fiercely at him. "And it didn't occur to you to say something to stop Lex? You just happened to let him think you were me and have sex with him!?" His voice got progressively louder and Lex snapped out of his contemplation to squeeze the taunt thigh beneath his hand. 

"Clark...Please let it go." 

"Let it go?! He touched you and only 'I' can touch you like that." 

"Well technically he's you, so your point is moot." Clark #1 growled and Clark #2 stood and paced holding his hand down, fingers splayed. 

"Look, I didn't mean to let it happen but I wasn't really thinking when he kissed me and stripped. I'm sure you know the feeling." 

Clark #1 nodded reluctantly, pulling his mate into his arms to caress the soft skin and nuzzle at his neck. Lex watched the other Clark pace in front of him agitatedly. 

"Well, if what you say is true then I think I know what happened. You see Dr. Hamilton was very...eccentric. He had crazy ideas, and I let him go unchecked for quite some time. I happened to drop in on him and discovered he was trying to develop interdimensional travel with a chemical he had developed based on the meteors you came down with. I stopped his work because of the potential danger to Earth, and destroyed the chemical as well as all his work. If the Lex in your dimension didn't know about the work he wouldn't have known to clean up the mess Dr. Hamilton made." 

As Lex talked Clark #2 had sat down abruptly. "So your saying I'm in another dimension?" 

"Well if you were travelling with your speed, then perhaps something in your body's make-up triggered the crystals to make a portal of its own and transferred you here." 

"Will I be able to get back?" 

"I don't know Clark. I'm sorry." 

"Oh God!" 

Lex and Clark #1 looked at each other and then at the anguished boy before them. Lex suddenly felt bad about his actions. 'If I was more observant I would've seen the virginal, youthful innocence in his eyes. I'm sorry I took your innocence Clark...I had forgotten the way you used to be before you took me for the first time.' 

Lex stood and went over to Clark #2 at a nod from his husband. He sat next to the Clark and rubbed his back soothingly. 

Soon the trembling stopped and he looked up at Lex with large tear filled eyes. "I fought with you right before it happened. You told me you loved me and then you told me everything you did, and I walked away without telling you I love you too. I 'hit' you and walked 'away'. How can I live with this when the last thing you received from me was pain?" 

Lex felt tears in his own eyes and looked over to his husband. Clark #1 got up and sat on Clark #2's other side. "I don't know what to tell you Clark, but that you'll have to try and find a way back to your dimension and set things straight. I found out that Lex is softer on the inside than you'd think, and if you love him, you'll have to work hard at his forgiveness. But word of advice; forgive him yourself, before offering him something he'll see through a mile away. Lex and I'll help you in every way we can." His face was a mask of determination and it strengthened Clark #2's resolve. 

"Thanks. I think I need to eat. Can I raid your fridge?" At Lex's nod he got up and walked out towards the kitchen. 

"Well he must've been here a lot to know the way around the house." Clark commented. 

Lex just smiled at him and scooted over the gap that Clark #2 had left. "I'm proud of you. You forgot your jealousy and helped him find hope. You know I love you, right?" 

Clark grinned and wrapped an arm around his waist and bent his head to kiss him slowly and with a quiet passion that had Lex moaning and pliant against him instantly. 

"Yeah I know. Besides virgin's got nothing on me. He can't take you to the level I do." Lex snorted and snuggled up to his egotistic mate. A whisper into his ear made him a pile of much inside. "I love you too." 

* 

Two weeks later Clark was standing before a trail of chemical that Lex had synthesized for him when he found the formula for it. Clark #1 and Lex stood behind him, though standing close. He looked back at them and smiled at the image they made. 'When I get back to you my love, I promise I'll never leave, or reject you again.' 

Lex had reasoned that since the low level of dimension hopping he was doing would wind down that perhaps the effect was like that of a skipping stone. You pick it up from the ground and skip it until it loses velocity and skips one last time before dropping back to the ground. 

So Clark would continue in the skipping until he returned home. That was his hope anyway. Something to keep him going. 

He mentally checked off a list of his supplies. Food, water, clothes, and plenty of the purple chemical that helped him skip. He turned back to the couple and waved, having already said their good-byes. He looked toward the horizon and watched the sun cast a beautiful gold over everything. 'I'm coming home Lex.' 

He zoomed over the crystals and skipped to another dimension. 

~ Present Skip ~ 

Clark looked out over the field weary of anyone that might be around. Seeing no one in the vicinity he walked over to the visible dirt road that led to his parents' farm automatically. He usually did so out of experience of many, many skips. On several occasions some of the dimensions that he visited and came out of, what he called 'skipstreams,' he had run into some hairy situations. 

He learned a great deal about his own people from a version of him that had decoded the tablet in the ship and told him everything he had found out and reasoned from evidence. It had been a very interesting two weeks. He had started staying with the versions of himself, and with his parents, who always understood and comforted him enough to go on, when he did stay. Usually he waited enough to find out if it was his world, and then left. 

And on some occasions he had had to learn to tell Lex immediately that he wasn't whom he thought he was when he came into contact with him. The first couple of times he didn't, he got mauled over with his arms full of eager Lex. He missed Lex a great deal for the last couple of jumps. 

He winced in memory, still hurt over the last visit that he had with Lex. They had been enemies in that dimension and Lex had spoken harshly, so frigid that Clark had almost cried at the empty blackness that had almost swallowed him whole. It made him want to get back to 'his' Lex and make things right as soon as possible. 

He stopped mulling over his adventures suddenly when he saw a pair of legs in tight black jeans with leather black boots sticking out over the side of a Lexus. He knew immediately whose legs those were since his view of that nice rear end was also helpful. Stopping byside him, he leaned over to see the back of a bald head staring at something under the hood. 

"Need some help?" Lex jumped and cursed, backing away from the hood, and straightened up quickly turning to see him. Clark saw that he had a tight white ribbed shirt on tucked into his jeans. 

"No thanks, I'll be fine." This dimensions' Lex was staring at him wearily and he stood close to the car. 

Clark smiled softly and nodded noticing that there was no sign of recognition in his blue/gray eyes. "If you're sure then. My name is Clark by the way. Nice meeting you." 

Lex couldn't help but feel that he should know this guy and his friendly open face was something he wasn't quite used to, even in this small town. He felt himself relax slightly and shrugged. "Well I guess if you know something about cars you could help me out." 

Clark grinned and nodded. They both moved to the hood and Clark put his backpack down, and pushed his sleeves up. "Let's get to it." 

An hour later they were laughing at something Lex had said about the townsfolk when Clark finished the minor repair for the car. Lex had loosened up quite a bit, and he found himself drawn to the beautiful young man before him. Clark had been very open and friendly from the start, putting him at ease, and seemed to sort of finish some of his lines as if he knew what he would say, or if he told him about an experience he would correctly guess his reaction to it. When Lex had said it was a little weird that he knows him so well Clark had shrugged and grinned. 

"Some people you feel like you've known forever." 

Clark closed the hood to the car and wiped his hands on a towel Lex had in the trunk of the car. They stood looking at each other for several minutes before Lex couldn't help but blush and look down before meeting his eyes once again. 

"Why are you staring like that?" 

Clark grinned and stepped closer to him. "I just think you're a beautiful person." 

Lex blushed deeper and shook his head as if to say no, but Clark reached out and cupped his face in his hands for a minute, just staring into his eyes. "You are." He leaned forward and kissed him very gently on the lips. "And I'm glad to have seen you." With that he turned to pick up his bag and started walking away. 

Lex stared after him in surprise at the kiss for several moments before jumping in his car. He slowly pulled up beside the young man and kept pace with him. 

"Wanna explain that kiss?" 

"Not really." Clark kept walking, and told himself that it was 'not' a good idea to get involved with a Lex, that wasn't his Lex, yet again. The car stopped abruptly, the engine shut off and Clark heard the car door open and slam shut. He heard footsteps on the sun dried dirt and saw Lex come up to his side, stopping when his way was cut off by Lex in his path. 

"Maybe you should continue what you started." 

A raised eyebrow before he brushed past him to keep walking. "Do you always offer to take care of guys on the road Lex?" 

He practically felt the blush from where he was standing and thought it was a little weird that Lex was blushing so much. 

"I...I feel connected to you for some reason. I thought maybe I could trust you not to take advantage of me because of who I am." 

Clark felt his resolve slipping in the face of that comment, and he stepped up to Lex tilting his chin up to meet his eyes. "I will never take you for granted, or take advantage of you. I like who you are as a person." 

"Well that was awfully quick. You must be the first person besides my- mmphf!" Lex's words were cut off by a deep kiss that made his knees turn to jelly. 

He was released and panted as his neck was nipped and his back rubbed by large hands. He tilted his head and gave Clark more room to nuzzle, lick, bite, and suck at him. He groaned softly and pulled away as gently as possible. 

"Wait want to move the car out of the road. Don't want to be found for a little while." 

"Okay hurry." Clark's voice was deep and sent shivers down Lex's spine as he jogged to the car and pulled it into the tall grass on the side. He opened the trunk and got a blanket from it as well as some lotion. He definitely wanted this and he would do whatever he could to get it. 

When he went back to Clark he was standing there with a look on his face that said he had time to think that this was a bad idea, so Lex went up to him and stuck his tongue into his mouth to distract him. He found the blanket and lotion out of his hands and on the ground when they broke for air. 

"Clark. Take me now. Don't want to wait." 

Clark nodded and lay down, pulling Lex down with him. He kissed and licked every inch of skin he unveiled and took his time exploring this Lex's scars and marks. Which were very few, unlike one version of Lex he met that had fought side by side with his Clark in taking care of mutants, despite that Clark trying to stop him, who had received many marks over the years. This Lex was very soft, smooth, and Clark felt him up as his body writhed beneath him. 

He traveled down the smooth chest, licking and sucking at his nipples, biting each to torment Lex when his cries became desperate. He worked lower to the firm belly and dipped his tongue into the navel before pulling back to look his fill of what he considered a poetic cock. Long and lean like the mans' body structure, and it was simple for Clark to lean forward and suck on the tip before deep-throating him. 

Lex arched off the blanket and wailed softly, thighs spread out and legs going high unconsciously. Clark looked up under his lashes and watched the man below him arch, one arm over his belly, hand closing into a fist, the other buried in his hair caressing his scalp softly. Clark swallowed pleased by the gentle rubbing and Lex screamed and came harshly down his throat, hands spasming, as his back arched. 

He let the cock slide from his mouth and crawled up between Lex's splayed legs to kiss him. Their tongues dueled and Lex moaned softly in his mouth as he tasted his own essence. 

Clark grinned into the kiss and grabbed the lotion and managed to get some out onto his fingers. He reached down and slid a finger between his cheeks and against Lex's pucker. Lex gasped and Clark laughed softly at his jump at the unexpected contact. He very gently worked his fingers into Lex, hitting his prostate until he was wailing, bucking, cursing and moaning, urging Clark to take him already. 

Clark finally slicked himself up and pushed against the tight opening slowly, but steadily. Until Lex's eyes flew open and his body tensed, his hands reaching up and clenching his arms tightly, a cry leaving his lips. Clark stopped instantly and watched his face carefully trying to ride out the constant clenching on his cock, by his ass muscles. 

Lex panted and nodded for Clark to continue and he very slowly started again. Lex bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, body tensing again, and Clark stopped completely. He carefully began pulling out even as Lex tried to keep him in, begging him to continue. 

Once he was all the way out, he grabbed Lex's legs and pulled them up and over his shoulders settling down on the blanket beneath him. He spread the firm cheeks and dipped between them to lick at the opening. Lex was very still as he kissed the puckered hole, and then began whimpering when he shoved his tongue into the tight heat. He reached a hand around a thigh and pumped his cock in time with his tongue. 

He continued to tongue fuck Lex until screams and begs filled the area. "Please! Oh God! Ah _fuck_ yeah just like that. God Clark. Clark! Clark please...Uh!" 

Lex came hard into his hand, and Clark stopped when he felt that Lex was open and ready for him. He leaned over to kiss him, silenced the pleads, and pushed just the tip into the still shuddering body. He waited but felt Lex bucking up for more. 

He tried it again very carefully watching Lex's face. Pain, but also desire to be taken was in his eyes as Clark found himself all the way in. He waited and rode out Lex's mad clenching, stroking his sweat-slicked side, before his patience snapped and he rocked forward, hard into the willing body beneath him. 'Lex...home.' Clark thought as he slid out then into his interdimensional soulmate's body. 

The thrusts became more frenzied and desperate as Lex neared his third orgasm, and Clark lost himself in the slick warmth, and the beautiful flushed man beneath him, rutting hard. 

" _Clark_!" The scream was piercing and the tight canal clamped harshly when Lex's body lost control as he orgasmed. Clark followed quickly and pulled out gently before settling beside him pulling the lax man into his arms pillowing Lex's head into his shoulder and curling around him. 

"Your awfully tight Lex." 

"That's what happens when you're a virgin." 

Clark tensed and his head snapped up. "You're a what?!" 

Lex snuggled and looked up into Clark's eyes nonchalantly before burrowing into his warm body against the soft breeze that had started up. "What I was doesn't really matter huh." 

"You should have told me." 

"Why? So you could say no, and keep walking?" At Clark's nod he snorted. "I thought you'd be the 'I don't want to steal your virtue type.'" 

Clark fumed silently at his love and then shook his head, letting it go. One thing he learned with Lex was that there was a lot of letting go of things with him, or he'd go crazy. 

"Why are you a virgin?" He decided to try a different route on the matter. 

Lex didn't seem to be surprised by the question and shrugged. "My mom is very protective, and she watches us pretty well. I guess I was just never really presented with the desire to until I met you, since she let me know about the people who try to get to you through sex. You just didn't seem like the type, and well...I feel like I can trust and be with you. Like I 'should'." 

Clark was silent as he processed the new information. Lex's mom was alive. He had been to another dimension where Lex's mother had been alive, as well as his father, but she had left Lionel because he abused her, so Lex was still in the hands of a cold unfeeling bastard. This Lex seemed different. Softer, less guarded and not as many masks took their place on Lex's face. 

"So what about your dad?" 

"My dad? He's dead. The meteor shower that came here caught him when he went to look at the land he was buying with the seller that day. I had wandered off, but I wasn't as close to the meteors as he was. He was found with the seller dead, and I was found a little later, but all I had lost was my hair. My little brother was with my mother so they both were fine." 

"That's right you have a little brother too. Julian right?" 

"Yeah. He's a great little kid, we're really close. And I guess we're kind of shielded from a lot of stuff, since my mom is like a crazy fanatic about our privacy on a daily basis." 

"That's great Lex. Are you happy?" 

Lex smiled beatifically and nodded. "Especially now that I've met you. I think my mother would actually approve." 

Clark looked guilty and ducked his head. Lex watched him for a minute then pulled away harshly and got dressed. "Lex wait. Lex. Lex!" Clark had gotten up and reached out to grab his arm. 

"No. Don't touch me. I think you got what you wanted and it was very stupid of me to think you might be interested in anything else." 

"Lex no! That's not it at all. Please just listen to me!" 

Lex was in his car and about to drive off when Clark grabbed the door and yanked it open. "Listen." 

Lex's jaw was in his gentle grip and he stared into the hurt eyes. "I didn't do this just for a lay. I genuinely care about you and want to explore the boundaries of our relationship, but I need a little time. Can you give me some?" 

Lex searched his eyes and Clark watched his face soften visibly. A short nod and Clark kissed him deeply. "Good. Now get home before your mother sends out a search party." Lex smiled sweetly and leaned in for another kiss before settling into the car again. 

"See you later." 

"I'll find you, gorgeous." Lex blushed and smirked cutely (Clark couldn't believe he could call Lex cute, and not sexy, fuckable or anything like that though this version was showing signs of that already) and drove off. 

'Now all I have to do is find this dimension's Clark and introduce him to his soulmate.' 

* 

Clark found out that the Kent's hadn't found this dimension's version of himself. He'd been digging for clues and was led to the Franklin's, farmers who didn't live far from the site of his crash. He had planned to go and talk to them about the crash under the cover as a reporter (he'd gotten really good at gathering information), but found that wasn't needed. 

He made his way to the farm and heard yelling and followed it to the house (shack really) where the version of himself came storming out with a drunk and dirty looking man came out of the house after him waving a gun around. 

Clark hung back and then speeded after his other self. He stopped at a little clearing where his other self was leaning against a tree. 

Clark # 1 heard a noise and looked up from his brooding about his human father and how much his life sucked to see what looked like himself. He gasped and pushed off the tree tense. 

Clark # 2 held out a hand and spoke quickly. "It's okay. I have an explanation for why I look like you, but I'll need a couple of minutes to tell you, so don't panic. My names' Clark too." 

Clark # 1 stared and then looked doubtful but gave him a chance. "Fine." 

After Clark # 2 had explained everything Clark # 1 just sat there processing for a little while. "So you use this chemical from the meteor's to 'skip' from dimension to dimension?" 

"Yep that's about it. I'm trying to reach a point where the effect winds down, and I return to where I started, at my dimension." 

"Wow." Clark # 2 chuckled and nodded. "Can I go with you next time?" Clark # 1 asked softly. 

"Why would you want to? You're home." 

A bitter laugh that sounded like it came from a broken heart drifted on the light breeze. "If you call a man who exposes you to the meteor rocks to get you to do what he wants as home." 

"He exposes you-?" Clark # 2 cut himself off as the tone of his voice made the other give another dying sounding laugh. 

"You sound so surprised. I guess the people who raised you were just sweetness and lovey-dovey. Not mine. I'm used as a slave to a human man who 'beats' his own wife and drinks obsessively, demanding me to make him money he doesn't deserve." 

"Why do you stay? Can't you take your mother, and go?" 

"I would have, but he threatened me. He said he would call the government and expose my secrets, and let them take me, cause he would be set for life off the cash he'd make from me. So yes I'd like to go with you, since I have nothing to live for here, with meteor rocks keeping me in slavery." 

Clark # 2 looked sickened and was staring at the ground. "I-I really can't say anything to make you feel better, but I'd like to introduce you to some people who maybe could. But first I want to free you from your situation." 

"How? I told you he will call someone and get me in trouble." 

"You said he drinks? And beats his wife?" Clark # 1 nodded. "Well what I have in mind is this..." 

Two days later Clark # 1 was hugging his adoptive human mother getting ready to put her on the plane to Paris where her sister lived. Clark # 2 stood besides Martha and Jonathan as they watched them say their good-byes. 

Clark # 2 looked at the people who he trusted with his life and watched them practically buzz with excitement. He knew they would take care of this version of himself, and he felt happy, that wherever they were, he could count on them. 

"I want to thank you guys again for taking him in. I think he really needs someone like you two to be with now." They both smiled at him and nodded. 

Clark # 1 walked back to them rather shyly and Clark # 2 went to him and dragged him to the Kent's. They talked for quite sometime, before Clark # 2 dragged him off again, promising to bring him to the farm once he was done. 

As they headed to the Talon, Clark # 2 looked at his other self. No stress lines and the smile on his face was as it should be: joyful and excited for life. 

Once he convinced his other self to muster some courage to do what he had to do for not only him, but Mrs. Franklin as well, he'd caved and helped him. They had waited until Mr. Franklin had started beating on his wife, and threatening Clark # 1 with a weapon when Clark # 2 had gotten the police up there. The man had ranted and raved about aliens, but the police locked him up. There were so many complaints, as well as evidence of abuse (Clark had removed all evidence of the landing, and of Clark # 1's powers) on Mr. Franklin that he won't be leaving jail anytime soon. 

Clark # 1 cast a look at him. "So where are we going again?" 

Clark # 2 smiled softly. "I want you to meet someone that I think you'll really get along with. And uh I kinda was with him, so he may jump you." The last sentence was said so quickly that Clark # 1 had to sort out what was said. When he did he gasped and blushed brightly. 

"You WHAT?! Looking like me!" 

Clark # 2 shrugged helplessly and Clark # 1 really went into it with him. By the time he was winding down they had reached the area that Clark had said he would meet Lex. 

"...and I might not even think that he's my type-" He cut himself off when he saw the beautiful young man swinging his leg out from the booth, chin in hand, looking like he was very far away. "Wow." 

Clark # 2 smirked and rolled his eyes. "Told you." He muttered and slipped behind a pole when Lex's attention was drawn their way. 

"Clark?" 

"Lex." Clark # 2 had to smother a laugh at the stunned sound to his voice. He sneaked a peek and watched Clark # 1 sit down and Lex lean over to place a kiss on his cheek. 

"Do you mind if we get to know each other all over again? I want to start fresh with you." Lex smiled and shrugged. 

"Yeah sure. Where do you want to begin?" 

Clark # 2 slipped out as the two young men shared with each other. He watched them lean closer and closer together, seemingly absorbed into each other as everyone else stopped existing to them. 

He felt a twinge at the sight of them and turned away. He found a phone and called his parents to let them know that Clark would be a little late, since he was catching up with someone very important. He thanked them again and was grateful for their encouragement. 

"Thank you guys. Good-bye." 

"Good-bye Clark. I know you'll make it back home. Be strong." 

He hung up and headed out of town to the empty fields. 

'God I miss you Lex.' 

* 

Clark stopped and looked around the field wearily. The sky was getting dark and the clouds made it seem later than it probably was. He was tired, and just wanted to go some where and curl up to sleep. He saw a patch of trees that looked very familiar to him, and headed for them. He pulled out a blanket from his pack and folded it up into a pillow and once his head rested against it he fell asleep dreaming about being home, and seeing Lex. 

Clark jerked as he was kicked not so lightly in the side by a pointy toed boot, and a light was put in his face. His head rose from the makeshift pillow and his gaze traveled up a pair of black slacks, to a lavender lightweight sweater, following facial features from full lips in a tight line, a straight nose, piercing steel blue eyes and a smooth plate. 

It was silent for several minutes before Lex turned and walked away. Clark didn't move, since he hadn't gathered any information about this dimension. He didn't know where he stood with this Lex, or what he would encounter if he followed him. 

Lex stopped and turned towards him. "I think you better come with me. Your parents are worried sick, and they asked to know any news about you. I think you should be the one to deliver it." Then he started walking to the manor without slowing down. 

Clark debated, but then decided to follow. This Lex didn't seem to like him very much, but at least he wasn't trying to throw Kryptonite daggers at him or something. He got up and stretched his muscles and hiked after Lex. 

'I wonder how he knew I was out here. Does he have some type of surveillance cameras?' Clark pushed the questions to the back of his mind when he walked into the manor after Lex, who had left the door open. The manor was the 'exact' same thing as the one in his dimension. He had noticed that every dimension differed in some way, but this looked so much like his Lex's home... 

'Don't get your hopes up Clark. This may not be your dimension.' 

He found Lex upstairs in his study, pouring himself a drink. He gestured to the phone on the desk and walked to the door. 

"Lex?" 

Lex stopped back stiff, but turned his head to see him out of his peripheral. "You know how to use the phone. Your parents need to hear from you so call them." 

"Lex we need to talk first." Lex was already shaking his head and started walking out the door again. 

"Talk to your family and maybe we'll talk later." Clark shivered suddenly in the sharp silence after the door had been shut. He had heard the cold exterior in Lex's voice snap into place against him, and thought that this was another Lex who he had failed to love. 

'I'm so sorry.' Clark sighed and stared at the phone. If this wasn't his dimension and his other self was missing he didn't want to get his parent's hopes up, but he needed to find out where he was. 

The phone rang twice before a tired and stressed sounding Martha came on over the phone. 

"Mom?" 

"Clark! Oh god Clark! Are you okay? Where are you honey?" 

Clark waited until she wound down and heard his father come over the phone as well. "Clark are you okay son? Where are you? We can come and get you." 

"I'm at Lex's dad. He found me, and told me to use his phone." 

"Okay we'll be right there." 

"Wait! Mom, Dad I have something to tell you. It's going to sound strange so think about it hypothetically. What if..." 

By the time Clark got off the phone he had confirmed that this was his dimension. He grinned as his parent's told him to come home as soon as he could, that they needed to see him after a 'whole' year. That part had upset him a great deal. A year that his friends and family didn't have him...A year from the day he had hurt Lex. Was it to late for him to try to make things right between them? 

He walked to Lex's library (having x-rayed and finding him there), and sat on the couch opposite his soulmate. The silence stretched until Clark got up and paced. "I'm sorry, and I know that that doesn't even begin to cover the serious making up I have to do so please get out all the anger, hate, and pain, so I can start making this lost year up to you." 

It was silent again for so long that Clark stopped pacing and turned to see Lex staring at the fireplace. He suddenly looked up at him and focused on his face, and his reply made him extend his super hearing to hear it, until his voice gradually became stronger. "What makes you think I want, or need you to make it up to me? My life has progressed without your high mightiness, and it will continue to do so. I'll have James show you out when your parents arrive. Have a good life Clark." 

Clark stared back into the hard blue eyes and felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Lex was up and out of the room, before he even registered the mans' words completely. 'Have a good life?' Clark knew that Lex was dismissing him with those words, and he ran after him. 'No way in hell am I going on without you.' 

He found Lex in his bedroom and tried the doorknob finding it locked. He twisted it until it gave in his hand and pushed the door open, then closed it behind him. Lex was staring at him, half undressed, to get into bed Clark assumed, and Clark turned around to use his eye lasers to weld the door shut. He turned back to Lex and saw the man pale and step away from him. 

Clark couldn't help the predatory stalk towards Lex that had him backed up to the wall. He also knew that to back Lex up meant to get a fight, so he braced himself while giving no quarter to Lex. 

"As you can see you're stuck in here with me until I get us out. I have no intention of doing so until I have a chance to make everything right, so I suggest you get comfortable." 

Lex swallowed, and then looked around him at the door. "Wha-What was that?" 

"I'm an alien. From outer space. I can do a lot of stuff, and we can spend the night exploring them to your hearts content." 

Lex watched him wearily and Clark couldn't help but want to erase the harsh lines on his forehead. So he kissed him. 

Lex gasped and Clark took the opportunity to slide his tongue achingly slow against Lex's, one hand on the back of his fragile head, the other found the small of his back. He kneaded the tense muscle there until Lex's legs gave way to trembling and he leaned against his chest panting. 

"You can't think that this," a hand gestured between them, "will make everything 'better'." The last was said with a bitterness that Clark could feel deep in his bones, and heart. 

"No I don't. Which is why we're going to have a very long talk. But," Clark lifted his hand up and stroked the smooth cheek of his beloved tenderly. "Before we start I want to tell you I love you. Unequivocably, unreservedly, and forever if you'll let me." 

Lex's eyes widened and he stared at Clark incredulously. "I don't know what games your playing Clark but I'm not going for it. Let me go and get out." 

Clark simply shook his head and lifted Lex in his arms to deposit him gently on the bed. He laid down beside him and snuggled close, all the while Lex was twisting trying to escape his grip. 

"Lex I have a long story to tell you, and I think we should start now. It's a story where I discovered my love for you, and what a serious mistake I made in hurting you, who are the other half of my body, mind, and heart." 

Lex lay still as Clark told him everything from his dimensional travels, his origins, and powers, to his encounters with their interdimensional selves, and his weaknesses. It was early light by the time Clark stopped talking, all the while staying connected to Lex one way or another through the night. 

"You are my soulmate through and through, and where I've been I've seen that we'd be at one extreme or the other. I made a mistake and you can't know the extent of my pain over it, as I can't yours. But one thing I do know is that I refuse to be your enemy. Will you be my love?" 

Lex turned his head away to blink wetness from his eyes. He was silent, but stroked the arm that was slung over his belly. Minutes or hours later, Clark didn't know, Lex turned back to him. He studied him for a little bit before snuggling into his arms. 

"If you ever hit me physically again I'll find a block of Kryptonite to knock over your head." 

"Okay." 

"If you ever leave me like you did, vulnerable and weak, you'll live the rest of your life looking over your shoulder in terror. I'll make your existence hell." 

Clark shivered at the cold, hard tone of voice and nodded. 

"I expect to be treated respectfully, and for you to hear me out before jumping to conclusions." 

"Yes love." 

"Hmm. I guess that settles it then." 

Clark's head snapped up and he watched his soulmate's face carefully. The smile he saw made one blossom on his face and he whooped. "So you'll let me love you?" 

Lex' chuckled at the practically bouncing Clark and nodded. "I will always love you Clark." 

Clark shifted closer to Lex and held him tight. Soon he couldn't resist his body and mind screaming for him to connect to his heart. He made love to his soulmate sweetly in the shaft of sunlight gracing the bed. 

Afterward as they drifted off to sleep, Lex stirred at Clark's side. "So how many other me's did you make it with?" 

"Lex!" 


End file.
